


A Sweet Reunion

by sweetcarolanne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Candy, Celebrations, Fluff, M/M, Magic, Reunions, Slice of Life, Trick or Treat: Chocolate Box, Trick or Treat: Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-05 16:45:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12193785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetcarolanne/pseuds/sweetcarolanne
Summary: The home-made sweets didn't turn out quite how Horace had planned, but it was still a sweet reunion...





	A Sweet Reunion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Plaid_Slytherin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Plaid_Slytherin/gifts).



> Dear recipient, I hope this was something along the lines of what you wanted!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters and am making no money from this story.
> 
> Many thanks to my beta who wishes to remain anonymous.

A soft knock upon the Potions Master’s open door broke the evening’s silence for a brief moment.

“Is this something to challenge this year’s new students with, Horace? A love potion, perhaps, or could it be a more pleasant-tasting replacement for Skele-Gro?”

Albus Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled as he entered the room and peered down into a large solid gold cauldron that stood nearby. In the depths of the cauldron simmered a thick and slightly bubbly mixture with a treacle-like texture; wisps of a caramel and cinnamon-scented smoke arose from the concoction, and its colour gradually changed from a light rosy pink to a deep crimson as it slowly and merrily came to a boil over a magical flame.

Horace Slughorn looked up from the comfortable armchair where he was relaxing, obviously glad to see his visitor, and gestured for Dumbledore to take a seat opposite him before giving his wand a flick in the direction of the golden vessel to lower the fire that burned beneath it.

“Nothing so exciting, I’m afraid, Albus,” Slughorn replied calmly, his moustache twitching as his lips quirked upwards in a contented smile. “This is merely a little experiment of my own. It’s home-made confectionery; you might like to think of it as a variation on Turkish delight, with a few added innovations I’ve come up with myself. I felt like a different kind of treat from my customary crystallised pineapple or any of the Honeydukes sweets.”

Slughorn briefly rose from his chair and padded over to the cauldron, studying its contents with pursed lips and a furrowed brow for a few minutes before reaching for several glass jars, one after another, from a shelf above and adding what seemed to be pinches of various exotic spices as well as a dash each of rose and vanilla essences.

“I had hoped to have it ready by tonight, so that we could enjoy some during our little tête-à-tête,” Slughorn continued with a tiny sigh. “However, that has proved to be rather too ambitious an undertaking, even for me. It’s a more complex little recipe than I expected it to be! So, will some nice chocolate suffice for the time being instead?”

He moved over to a chest of drawers and removed, with a small yet covertly dramatic flourish, a box of liqueur truffles that soon had Albus’s eyes sparkling all over again.

“Horace – you remembered!” Dumbledore exclaimed delightedly as Slughorn fetched a decanter and a couple of crystal goblets, pouring some deliciously sweet dessert wine to go with the chocolates.

“How could I possibly forget? We had these on our very first night together, after all! And I bought them from the exact same place, too!” Slughorn replied, more than a little smugly, as he handed one of the glasses to his companion and then raised the other in a toast. “Here’s to sweet reunions!”

“I’ll gladly drink to that,” said Dumbledore, and lifted his goblet in return.

Slughorn resumed his seat, and both men sipped their wine appreciatively for a little while, waiting for just the right moment to begin sampling the chocolate. With a feeling of tenderness and pleasure spreading warmly through his chest, Dumbledore stood and walked over to Slughorn, bending to press a gentle kiss upon his lips.

“I’m so happy to have you back at Hogwarts at last, Horace,” he whispered.


End file.
